Many people enjoy wearing short pants (shorts) in cool weather, such as in temperatures of about 35-70 F. Some people even wear shorts in freezing temperatures. However, there are few shorts products available for these people. Insulated shorts are essentially unknown.
Polyester fleece (e.g. POLARFLEECE™) is a warm, lightweight fabric that has been used extensively for warm outdoor clothing. Fleece is typically made of polyester or polyester terephthalate. One or both surfaces of fleece has soft pile, comprising freestanding cut or looped yarns or fibers.
Fleece is an excellent fabric for use in outdoor clothing, because it is warm, soft, lightweight and retains warmth in wet conditions.
There are several reasons why fleece is generally not suitable for use in outdoor shorts, however. First, fleece is typically easily stretched, torn and worn, and so is not durable enough for outdoor pants or shorts. Also, fleece is highly air permeable so wind flows through it easily. The result is that fleece shorts can be uncomfortably hot when the wind is still, and uncomfortably cold in windy conditions. Adding additional layers or windproofing can make the shorts too hot, especially in the crotch area. Also, additional layers will increase cost and detract from the desirable soft texture of fleece.
Also, fleece is stretchy and floppy, so it feels too insubstantial for people that prefer to wear shorts made of more rigid and durable fabric like denim, canvas, twill or the like.
For these reasons, fleece shorts are undesirable to many people.
Consequently, there is a need for fleece shorts that overcomes these problems.